Brush it Off

I got my first set of makeup brushes as a Christmas gift from my sisters when I was 15. They were from Topshop and I remember thinking they were the coolest thing ever because they were all black and came in this edgy sleeve. That’s when my appreciation for good brushes began. Someone once told me that no matter how cheap or low budget your makeup is, so long as you’re using good brushes, you can make your face look fabulous. Brushes are an essential aspect of anyone’s collection and I’m going to share with you a few brands and brushes that are my all-time favourites.

People ask me on a daily what brushes to buy and a great, easy access brand is Real Techniques. A lot of artists and bloggers snub this brand (so mainstream, eugh) but the fact is, Nic and Sam (Pixiwoo, the creators of Real Techniques) were professional makeup artists before they were businesswomen. They know what a good brush should do for you and they created an amazing collection that is accessible and affordable to all. They’re an excellent brand to get you started in thinking about brushes and improve your technique.

Blush Brush – £9.99

This brush is ultra-fluffy and excellent for blending your blush right into your cheeks. It’s also the perfect size. We’ve all used brushes that are supposed to be for blush but they’re tiny. Like who made these? Are they brushes for ants?! If you don’t get that reference, educate yourself.

Contour Brush – £9.99

This brush is excellent because it guides your contour to suit your face due to its angle. It actually taught me how to contour properly as it did all the work for me. I’d use this more so for a cream contour than powder. It’s quite compact so the power may appear too severe if not applied correctly.

Eyeshadow – (Part of a pack of 5) £19.99

This flat, fluffy brush is excellent for applying shadow all over the eye. This was included in my first set of eye brushes and although I’ve bought others since, I always come back to it. A staple in my eyes. See what I did there? I find myself hilarious.

Everyone knows MAC is the holy grail and lots of people think their brushes are the only option if you want quality. This is a myth. Don’t get me wrong, they are fab but there are other brands out there. MAC is a safe option because you know they’ll be good, but they are not the only brand.

Blending Eyeshadow Brush 221 – £21

This is my hands down favourite blending brush. It’s so narrow and delicate, perfect for blending out stronger colours. This was one of my first blending brushes and I love it so much, like a tiny little bunny rabbit.

An absolutely amazing brand for brushes (and eyeshadow) straight from the US is Morphe. I ADORE this brand because the quality of their products are amazing but they are so affordable! It’s a little more difficult choosing from their brush range because they aren’t available in shops but I’ll help with that. They are available from BeautyBay.com and CultBeauty.com. I would recommend the Elite series and the Creator (M) series. These are a step up from the basic range but not unnecessarily priced like the gold series.

Buffing Foundation Brush M439 – £16

People always ask me how I apply foundation. Truth is 9 times out of 10 I use a damp beauty blender but when I want that flawless, full coverage look I reach for this. It’s so compact and perfect for buffing the foundation into the skin and it feels so lovely. Just use circular motions to buff the product in and you’ll be amazed by the finish.

Powder Brush E2 – £20

This is so so so soft and gorgeous for applying powder onto the skin. I like it for when I’m using a powder foundation on its own because I can pack it in nicely. I love a fluffy brush but when the bristles are too far apart the product gets lost. Not with this bad boy.

Blending Eyeshadow Brush E28 – £8

This is slightly bigger than the MAC brush so is great when applying transition shades. It’s fluffy but packed enough to get the colour we desire. A must-have in everyone’s kit.

If the world of brushes makes you blush (hardy-har-har) then I hope this has helped to sweep away the confusion (seriously, I need to become a comedian).

Blending out for now b*tches,

Eve

(ok, I’ll stop now)

For bookings please email decidedlyeve@gmail.com

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